EFFECTS ON THE LYMPH AND LYMPHATIC GLANDS 263 



coarser framework merely. Germinal centers are absent and large trabeculae 

 and large sinuses are especially evident. Some of the latter contain granular 

 detritus. Few degenerated cells are found, however, although some yellow 

 pigment is present. Only a few polymorphonuclear leukocytes are seen, but a 

 good many acidophile cells with finely granular protoplasm and round vesicular 

 nuclei are present. The parenchyma is so depleted that one can actually 

 count the cells in sections ten microns thick in most portions of the sections. 

 The nuclei of the lymphocytes contain few chromatin granules, stain lightly, 

 and look more transparent than usual, some of them appearing as empty 

 vesicles. 



"Prevertebral Nodes. — The prevertebral nodes seem somewhat better 

 preserved, but show some polychromatophilia. They, too, contain no germinal 

 centers, phagocytes, or giant cells. Large cells with a large, oval, vesicular 

 nucleus, which look as though they might have an endothelial origin, are 

 usually numerous. These cells are contained in both sinuses and parenchyma. 

 These portions contain large acidophile cells and masses of degenerated 

 erythrocytes. 



"Bronchial Nodes. — The bronchial nodes are not so depleted as might be 

 expected, but show considerable pneumonokoniosis. They contain almost 

 nothing but small lymphocytes. Some portions of the abdominal lymph nodes 

 are wholly depleted, being represented merely by a folded mass of trabeculae and 

 connective tissue." 



It may be noted, however, that Retterer ('02b) found that lymph glands of 

 human adults examined 24 hours post mortem may show as an artefact the 

 rarefaction of the lymphoid tissue and other changes resembling those produced 

 in the lymph glands of animals by inanition. 



The lymph glands during infantile malnutrition have been frequently 

 studied. Baginsky ('84, '84a) and Fede ('98) noted atrophy of the intestinal 

 follicles and lymphoid tissue; but Mattei ('14), on the contrary, found evidence 

 of hyperactivity, as will be shown later, in the chapter on the alimentary canal. 

 Moldenhauer ('99) noted hyperemia and increase of stroma in the mesenteric 

 nodes of athreptic infants. Thiercelin ('04) described the axillary and inguinal 

 lymph glands in athreptic infants as swollen (secondary infection ?) and the 

 mesenteric glands as slightly hypertrophied. 



Among 1,000 New York primary school children, 6-12 years of age, of whom 

 40 per cent were malnourished, Sill ('09) observed that 90 per cent had "ade- 

 noids," 40 per cent hypertrophied tonsils, and 4.5 per cent tubercular cervical 

 lymph nodes. In another series of 210 markedly malnourished children, 

 75 per cent had enlarged cervical glands, and of 101 tested for tuberculosis, 55 

 gave a positive (von Pirquet) reaction. Schelble ('10), however, found no 

 significant histological changes in the mesenteric glands from 17 cases of peda- 

 trophy, 9 of which were fixed shortly after death. 



Among the lower animals, data concerning the effects of inanition upon the 

 lymphatic system are more numerous. From experiments on several dogs and 

 rabbits of various ages and sizes, which were subjected to absolute inanition for 

 variable periods up to death, Collard de Martigny (1828) concluded that: 



